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Mansur Gavriel Is Finally Making Bags for Guys

The clean-lined brand is a go-to for shoppers looking for quality bags and more that don’t start at four figures.

The name Mansur Gavriel isn’t as well-known as Gucci or Louis Vuitton, nor does the label have the backing of a global fashion conglomerate like Kering or LVMH, but the six-year-old brand's bags are carried and coveted and screenshotted by style-inclined women just as much as any by those big-name leather-goods houses. And now, like many smart brands, Mansur Gavriel is courting a new customer they’re betting is equally hungry for finely crafted bags: men.

Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel’s wares are, to put it in menswear speak, like the Common Projects of handbags. Like those kings of minimalist kicks, Mansur and Gavriel’s brand values clean lines and fine made-in-Italy construction over flashy logos or of-the-moment silhouettes. It’s an outlook that’s served them well since they launched with a handful of bag styles back in 2013 before expanding into shoes and clothing in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Their aesthetic is rooted in uncomplicated lines and functional details, two qualities plenty of guys are seeking today. "We have had men we know request a men’s line since the beginning of the brand,” the duo says over e-mail. "It is something we have wanted to do for quite a while, and have been developing over the past seasons.”

The development eventually gave way to their menswear collection, which launches today on the brand's own website and on Mr Porter this week. "We thought about the core 'basics' that a man might want” is how the designers describe their first men’s styles. It’s a lineup that features a tight edit of eleven silhouettes made for getting just about everything a modern guy owns from point A to point B, in a range of colors that walk the line between classic and uncommon (another of the brand’s calling cards). "We approached the design with the principles that always guide us: beautiful forms, luxurious materials, emotional color."

For the professional guy who still needs to carry a laptop and documents between his crib and cubicle, there are two sizes of soft zip-top briefcases. For the creative director types (actual or self-designated), there are two kinds of drawstring-closure backpacks for hauling everything you own between DJ sets and "vibes" meetings (one features an external pocket that’s the perfect size for housing your external hard drives). And for the efficiency-inclined, there are open-top tote bags (yup, also in two sizes: short and wide or long and narrow). There's also a structured travel duffel and dopp kit, as well as the anchors of any accessories assortment for male customers: card cases and zip wallets.

Like most M.G. products, the lot of unadorned silhouettes is crafted out of canvas, vegetable-tanned leather, or calf leather, with interiors that are left raw (a.k.a. the backside of a piece of hide), patent-coated, or canvas-lined. Quality like this doesn't come cheap—prices range from $195 for a card case to $1,395 for a technical backpack—but it's still less than what the houses of interlocking letters would charge for similar goods. And that's what's so refreshing about this launch during the golden age of fashion maximalism, when sequined wildlife appliqués and patchwork tracksuits have become the norm. These bags don’t just stand out for their commitment to being everything that isn’t driving luxury today; they’re also a reminder that well-made, thoughtfully designed goods will be in demand regardless of which direction the fashion winds are blowing. "We always think in terms of the full brand rather than a specific piece or season or customer," say Mansur and Gavriel, and it shows. It's a launch that lays a clear groundwork for what their men's products will look like and, just as important, makes you want to see more. You won't have to wait long, though; men's footwear and a clothing capsule collection are set to launch later this year.